Tom Hanks baffled by people who don’t take COVID-19 seriously

COVID-19 survivor Tom Hanks has a message for anyone unwilling to “do their part” to stop the spread of the respiratory illness.

Appearing Tuesday on NBC’s “Today,” Hanks reflected on his own early bout with the coronavirus and questioned why some weren’t taking the pandemic seriously.

“We don’t know what’s going to happen with COVID-19. The idea of doing one’s part, though, should be so simple: Wear a mask, social distance, wash your hands,” Hanks told host Hoda Kotb. “That alone means you are contributing to the betterment of your house, your work, your town, your society as a whole. And it’s such a small thing. … It’s a mystery to me how somehow that has been wiped out of what should be ingrained in the behavior of us all.”

Hanks and his wife, actress Rita Wilson, became the first major stars to go public with their diagnoses in March.

Mayor Pete Buttigieg has a new book set for fall

NEW YORK » Pete Buttigieg’s next book has a unifying message.

Liveright Publishing announced Wednesday that the former Democratic presidential candidate and South Bend, Ind., mayor had written “Trust: America’s Best Chance,” scheduled for release Oct. 6. According to Liveright, the book combines history and personal reflections in an “urgent and soul-searching” exploration into creating a stronger democracy.

“In order for our country to move forward in the years ahead, it will be more important than ever to build trust — trust in our institutions and leaders, trust in each other, and trust around the world in America itself,” Buttigieg said in a statement. “Now is a time to consider the foundational role trust plays in our democracy, and what it will take to build the trust we’ll need to recover and to advance as a country.”

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